Filled Glass Fiber Research Articles

Reciprocating Friction Behavior of Al Particulate Glass Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composite

Friction behavior of Al particle filled glass fiber reinforced epoxy composite reciprocating against a steel ball (AISI E-52100) is investigated experimentally using a Reciprocating Friction Tester, TR-282. The composites having 5, 10 and 15 weight % Al of resin are fabricated in compression moulding process. Reciprocating tests are conducted at normal load of 0.1, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.0kg and the frequency of 10, 30 and 60Hz. Friction is influenced by the reciprocating time, normal load, and frequency levels and on the material. In general, friction coefficient maintained a decreasing trend with the increase of normal loads as well as increase of the wt% of Al content. At 10Hz frequency level with the increase of Al wt% from 5 to 15, a significant decrease of friction coefficient from 0.3 to 0.06 is observed. The response of friction coefficient in respect of reciprocating frequency/sliding velocity/sliding distance is also estimated throughout the experimental time.

Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide (ZnO) filled glass fiber reinforced polyester composites

This study aims at fabrication of zinc oxide (ZnO) filled glass fiber reinforced polyester (GFRP) composites with varying concentrations of filler and investigation of their mechanical and thermal behavior. In this study, ZnO was dispersed in polyester, and laminates were fabricated by hand lay-up technique followed by compression molding. Mechanical properties were determined by flexural strength analysis, impact strength and hardness testing whereas thermal stability by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Flexural strength of 3wt.% ZnO filled GFRP composite was improved significantly (up to 62.12%) in comparison to unfilled composite. Hardness, impact strength and thermal stability have also been found increased gradually with increase in ZnO loading.

Evaluation of morphological characteristics and mechanical performance of Rockforce mineral fiber- and glass fiber-reinforced polyamide-6 composites

AbstractIn this study, the effect of addition of Rockforce mineral and glass fiber fillers on the mechanical properties and morphological characteristics of polyamide-6 composites were evaluated and compared. Reinforcements, single and mixed compounds by various weight ratios between 10 and 30 wt%, were added to polyamide-6 polymer. Uniaxial tensile, Izod impact, and flexural tests were carried out. Tensile strength, elongation at break, tensile modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus, and impact strength were obtained. The results showed that the tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, and flexural modulus of polyamide-6 composite increased with the increase in the glass fiber ratio and are slightly influenced by the addition of Rockforce mineral fibers. Moreover, the impact strength follows an increasing and decreasing profile, whereas elongation at break values decreased with the increase in reinforcement ratio. Finally, scanning electron microscopy was used for comparison and evaluation of the fracture surface of the polyamide-6 composite.

Thermo-Mechanical Properties and Abrasive Wear Behavior of Silicon Carbide Filled Woven Glass Fiber Composites

A study was done to determine the effect of physical, mechanical, thermal and three body abrasive wear response of Silicon Carbide (SiC) filled Glass Fiber Reinforced Epoxy (GFRE) composites. The main purpose was to study the influence of different weight percentages (wt.%) of SiC filler in addition to that of glass fiber. A three body abrasive wear analysis was conducted by varying different factors such as fiber/filler reinforcement, abrasive particle size, normal load, sliding distance and sliding velocity. An attempt was made to find out the dominant factor and the effect of each factor on specific wear rate analysis. Physical and mechanical properties, i.e. density, hardness, tensile strength, flexural strength, inter laminar shear strength and impact strength, were determined for each weight percent of filler reinforcement to determine the behavior of mechanical properties with varying SiC filler loading. Thermo – mechanical properties of the material, i.e. storage modulus, loss modulus and tan delta with temperature were measured using a Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA). The result shows the increasing / decreasing trend and critical points of each analysis. The trend and major factors responsible for reducing the specific wear rate were determined. Mechanical properties, i.e. hardness and impact strength, increase with the increase in SiC content, whereas tensile strength, flexural strength and inter laminar shear strength decrease. Worn surfaces were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to give an insight into the wear mechanisms.

Seismic Behavior of Recycled Aggregate Concrete Filled Steel and Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic Tube Columns

This paper presents the results of seismic tests on the recycled aggregate concrete filled steel tube (RCFS) and recycled aggregate concrete filled glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) tube (RCFF) columns. The objective of this study is to evaluate the seismic behavior of steel/ GFRP tube in-filled recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) columns. The main parameters in the tests are the recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) replacement percentage and the tube material. The results show that both deformation and bearing capacities of RCFF and RCFS columns are greatly improved. The seismic behavior of RCFS columns is better than that of RCFF columns. Research findings also indicate that the energy dissipation capacity and the ductility slightly change with the variation of recycled coarse aggregate replacement percentage, whereas the bond-slip has little effect on the seismic behavior. Besides the experiments, a finite element method (FEM) analysis is also conducted. It is found that the seismic behavior of both RCFS and RCFF columns is decreased with the increase of the axial load ratio.

Computational coupling of moisture diffusion and mechanical deformation in polymer matrix composites

SUMMARYA computationally efficient multiscale–multiphysics model aimed at predicting mechanical response of thermoplastic composites subjected to different levels of moisture was developed. The mathematical model of the coupled moisture‐diffusion–mechanical‐deformation phenomenon was stated at the microscale, based on the observed experimental data, and then upscaled using a mathematical homogenization approach. A two‐way coupling between moisture diffusion and mechanical deformation was introduced by which diffusivity was enhanced by hydrostatic strain, whereas strength and stiffness were assumed to degrade because of moisture ingression, which also gives rise to swelling. The computational complexity of analyzing the two coupled physical processes at multiple scales was reduced via a model reduction scheme for multiple physical processes. The model was validated for 30% by weight filled glass fiber and carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites. The moisture conditioning and uniaxial tension experiments were utilized to identify diffusion and mechanical properties at a fine scale. The identified properties were then used to validate the formulation in the three‐point bending test. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Resin infusion analysis of nanoclay filled glass fiber laminates

This paper focuses on the resin flow characteristics of nanoclay filled glass fiber laminates processed by Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion Molding (VARIM). Laminates with varying quantities of nanoclays (0–5wt.%) were prepared and the effect of these nanoclays on the epoxy resin flow characteristics was studied. It was found that the flow rate of resin continuously decreased as nanoclay content continuously increased. The reduction in the flow rate was attributed to the rate of change of curing and the subsequent change in viscosity of the nanoclay filled resin. Analysis of infusion process by Darcy’s law show that the permeability of the fiber decreased in the nanoclay filled resin system. Nanoclay filled laminates show improved static and dynamic mechanical properties than that of unfilled resin composites.

Mechanical behavior of concrete filled glass fiber reinforced polymer-steel tube under cyclic loading

The mechanical behavior of concrete-filled glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP)-steel tube structures under combined seismic loading is investigated in this study. Four same-sized specimens with different GFRP layout modes were tested by a quasi-static test system. Finite element analysis (FEA) was also undertaken and the results were presented. Results of the numerical simulation compared well with those from experimental tests. Parametric analysis was conducted by using the FE models to evaluate the effects of GFRP thickness, axial compression rate, and cross sectional steel ratio. The experimental and numerical results show that the technique of GFRP strengthening is effective in improving the seismic performance of traditional concrete-filled steel tubes, with variations related to different GFRP layout modes.

Development and Characterization of Particulate Filled Glass Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Composites

This article depicts the processing and mechanical characterization of a new class of multi-phase composites consisting of polyester resin reinforced with glass fiber and filled with alumina particulates. Four different composite samples are prepared with 0, 5, 10 and 15wt.% of Al2O3(alumina). The mechanical properties of these composites are evaluated. It is found that Al2O3 modifies the tensile, flexural and the inter-laminar shear strength of the glass-polyester composites. The hardness and density of the composites are also greatly influenced by the content of these fillers.

Tribological properties of solid lubricants filled glass fiber reinforced polyamide 6 composites

The main purpose of this paper is to further optimize the tribological properties of the glass fiber reinforced PA6 (GF/PA6,15/85 by weight) for high performance friction materials using single or combinative solid lubricants such as Polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and the combination of both of them. Various polymer blends, where GF/PA6 acts as the polymer matrix and solid lubricants as the dispersed phase were prepared by injection molding. The tribological properties of these materials and the synergism as a result of the incorporation of both PTFE and UHMWPE were investigated. The results showed that, at a load of 40N and a velocity of 200rpm, PTFE was effective in improving the tribological capabilities of matrix material. On the contrary, UHMWPE was not conductive to maintain the structure integrity of GF/PA6 composite and harmful to the friction and wear properties. The combination of PTFE and UHMWPE showed synergism on further reducing the friction coefficient of the composites filled with either PTFE or UHMWPE only. Effects of load and velocity on tribological behavior were also discussed. To further understand the wear mechanism, the worn surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy.

Hydrotalcites Catalyze the Acidolysis Polymerization of Phenolic Acid to Create Highly Heat‐Resistant Bioplastics

AbstractAcidolysis polymerization has been used to prepare phenol‐derived polymers such as liquid crystalline (LC) polymers, and is catalyzed by mildly‐alkaline salts. The catalytic effects of hydrotalcites (HTs), which are natural alkalescent minerals with controllable basicity, are investigated on the acidolysis copolymerization of coumarates such as p‐coumaric acid and caffeic acid. As a result, the LC copolymer prepared in the presence of HT with a Mg/Al ratio of 3 shows higher molecular weight values than copolymers prepared in the presence of any other alkalescent salts. On the other hand, the copolymers prepared in the presence of HTs show a clear LC state where the polymer chains are oriented on the surface of the glass fibers. The resin, which is oriented by glass fiber fillers aligning along its longitudinal axis and is annealed at 300 °C for 20 min, shows a softening temperature of 305 °C while keeping a high mechanical strength of 85 MPa and a high mechanical modulus over 1 GPa.

Effect of Short Fiber Fillers on the Optical Properties of Composite Resins

Objectives: The aim was to evaluate the effect of different fractions of fiber fillers on the translucency and color change of short fiber composite with various thicknesses.Methods: Fiber composite resin was prepared by mixing resin matrix with various weight fractions of short (3 mm in length) E-glass fiber fillers (0, 11.7, 21.0, 28.5, 34.7 wt%) and then silane treated particulate silica fillers were gradually added by using high speed mixing machine. Particulate filler composite resin without fibers was used as control. Composite resins disks of 10 mm in diameter and with various thicknesses (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 mm) of each group were prepared (n=3). Translucency parameter (TP) and color change (?E) were calculated over a white and black background using spectrophotometer to determine the CIELAB values of each specimen. Data were statistically analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA).Results: ANOVA revealed that fraction of fiber fillers had a significant effect (P<0.05) on the translucency and color change values of the short fiber composite resin. Translucency values at various thicknesses of short fiber composite was significantly lower than particulate filler composite with same total fillers weight fractions.Significance: Inclusion of short glass fiber fillers reduced the translucency values of the composite resins. Thus, the masking ability of short fiber composite resin at various thicknesses was better than particulate filler composite. Color change was also altered with an increase of fractions of fiber fillers.

A Study on Tribological Behavior of Alumina-Filled Glass–Epoxy Composites Using Taguchi Experimental Design

This article describes the development of alumina-filled glass fiber–reinforced epoxy matrix composites and compared the experimental results obtained from Taguchi experimental design with the reported theoretical erosion model. An exhaustive literature survey indicated that six control factors, viz. impact velocity, filler content, erodent temperature, impingement angle, stand-off distance, and erodent size, predominantly affect on erosion behavior of polymer composites. This systematic experimentation has led to determination of significant process parameters and material variables that predominantly influence the wear rate of different particulates-filled glass fiber–reinforced composites. The comparative study indicates that although the alumina-filled composites exhibit relatively inferior mechanical properties, their erosion wear performance is better than that of the published literature red mud–filled glass fiber–reinforced composites (S. Biswas and A. Satapathy, Materials and Design, vol. 30, 2009). The glass fiber–reinforced epoxy matrix composite filled with alumina content showed semiductile erosion behavior with peak erosion rate occurring at 60° impingement angle. The morphology of eroded surfaces is examined by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and possible erosion mechanisms are discussed.

Sliding friction and wear behaviour of vinylester and its composites under dry and water lubricated sliding conditions

In this paper, we studied and explored the tribological performance of pure vinylester (V), glass fiber reinforced (GFR), SiC filled glass fiber reinforced vinylester composite under dry and water lubricated sliding conditions. Friction and wear tests were carried out with configuration of a pin on a rotating disc under ambient conditions. Tests were conducted at normal load 10, 30 and 50 N and under sliding speed of 1.6 m/s, 2.8 m/s and 4 m/s. The results showed that the coefficient of friction decreases with the increase in applied normal load values both under dry and water lubricated conditions. On the other hand for pure vinylester specific wear rate increases with increase in applied normal load under dry sliding condition and decreases with increase in applied normal load under water lubricated conditions. However the specific wear rate for GFR vinylester composite and SiC filled GFR vinylester composite decreases with the increase in applied normal load both under dry and water lubricated conditions. Moreover, for the range of load and speeds used in this investigation the coefficient of friction and specific wear rates using water lubricant registered lower values than that of the dry condition. The specific wear rates for pure vinylester and vinylester + 50 wt.% GFR and SiC filled GFR vinylester composite under dry and water lubricated sliding condition were in the order of 10 −7 mm 3 N −1 mm −1.

An experimental study on the bearing strength behavior of Al2O3 particle filled glass fiber reinforced epoxy composites pinned joints

Abstract An experimental study has been carried out to investigate the bearing strength behavior of pinned joints of glass fiber reinforced composite filled with different proportions of Al 2 O 3 particles, as a function of filler loading and joint geometry. The weight fractions of the filler in the matrix were 7.5, 10, and 15%. Single-hole pin-loaded specimens of each composite material were tested in tension. The results show that the bearing strength of glass fiber reinforced epoxy composites pinned joints is associated with the filler content and geometric parameters. The increase of the Al 2 O 3 particle loading in the matrix improved the bearing strength of the composites. The highest bearing strengths were obtained for composite specimens with 10 wt.% Al 2 O 3 particle content. Further increases in the Al 2 O 3 particle content in the matrix resulted in a decrease of the bearing strength, but remains above that of the unfilled glass reinforced epoxy composites.

Tribo-performance analysis of red mud filled glass-epoxy composites using Taguchi experimental design

Solid particle erosion of polymer composites is a complex surface damage process, strongly affected by material properties and operational conditions. To avoid repeated experimentation, it is important to develop predictive equations to assess material loss due to erosion under any impact conditions. This paper presents the development of a mathematical model for estimating erosion damage caused by solid particle impact on red mud filled glass fiber reinforced epoxy matrix composites and also a correlation derived from the results of Taguchi experimental design. Red mud is an industrial waste generated during the production of alumina by Bayer’s process. Using this red mud as the filler, hybrid glass–epoxy composites are prepared and experiments are conducted to study the erosion wear behaviour of these composites and the results are compared with the predicted values. Using Taguchi method for analysis, the significant control factors and their interactions influencing the wear rate predominantly are identified. The filler content in the composites, erodent temperature, the impingement angle and velocity are found to have substantial influence in determining the rate of material loss from the composite surface due to erosion.

Impact Toughness and Flexural Properties of PPS/GF/Nano-CaCO3 Ternary Composites

To identify the influence of the content and surface treatment of nano-CaCO3 on the mechanical properties of nanometer calcium carbonate (nano-CaCO3)-filled glass fiber (GF)-reinforced polyphenylene sulfide ternary composites, the impact strength, flexural modulus, and strength were measured at room temperature. It was found that the notched impact strength and flexural strength of these composites increased with an increase of the nano-CaCO3 weight fraction (φ f ) when φ f was less than 2% and then they decreased, and the unnotched impact strength of these composites roughly nonlinearly increased with an addition of φ f , whereas the effect of φ f on the flexural modulus was insignificant. The impact strength and flexural strength for these filled systems with the particle surface pretreated with titanate coupler were greater than those of the filled systems with the particle surface pretreated with sttaric aicd.

Modeling and Prediction of Erosion Response of Glass Reinforced Polyester-Flyash Composites

Solid particle erosion of polymer composites is a complex surface damage process, strongly affected by material properties and operational conditions. To avoid repeated experimentation, it is important to develop predictive equations to assess material loss due to erosion wear under any impact conditions. This paper presents the development of a mathematical model for estimating erosion damage caused by solid particle impact on flyash filled glass fiber reinforced polyester composites. The model is based upon conservation of particle kinetic energy and relates the erosion rate with composite properties and test conditions. Another correlation derived from the results of Taguchi experimental design is proposed as a predictive equation for erosion wear of these fiber reinforced composites. Further, considering the complexity and high degree of nonlinearity in the erosion process, an artificial neural networks (ANN) technique is implemented as an effective tool for prediction of wear response of these composites in a larger space. Finally, the results of a mathematical model and the ANN model are compared with those obtained from experimentation.

Shear strength of concrete filled glass fiber reinforced gypsum walls

Glass fiber reinforced gypsum (GFRG) walls, known as a green product that helps to save energy and protect the environment, are promising new building materials developed in Australia in the early 1990s. Driven by the wide-spread interest from the construction industry and the research community, substantial research has been carried out in Australia and a few Asian countries such as China, Malaysia and India to investigate its performance, including the structural behavior for building construction. This paper investigates the shear strength of GFRG walls fully or partially filled with concrete in the hollow cores. Eight full scale GFRG walls were tested under cyclic loadings. The shear performance of the tested walls, including the shear failure mode, hysteresis responses, the ultimate shear strength and the axial load effect, were studied in the paper. With the aid of nonlinear finite element analyses, a design procedure for the shear strength of the concrete filled GFRG walls is developed.

Development and Analysis of New Filament Wound Composite Pipes Made of Glass Fiber Reinforced 3P Resin

AbstractFilament wound composite pressure pipes made of newly developed 3P, various hybrid and reference resin materials and glass fiber filaments were investigated. 3P resins consist of soluble silicates, polyisocyanates and other additives, they are flame and chemical resistant, and capable of curing under wet conditions. Tensile strengths, tensile moduli and effective moduli values obtained from ring stiffness tests were evaluated. Properties of pipe types made of new resin materials were compared to those made of reference resins. A special tensile specimen fabricating process and a cross sectional area calculating method was presented. The calculation method is capable of handling the geometric inaccuracies of specimen prefabrication steps e.g. cutting. Evaluated material properties were discussed by defining dimensionless performance factors. Pipes were classified according to these performance factors and the suitability of the new resin materials for composite pressure pipe manufacturing was established. The best newly developed matrix materials were the 16905 type vinylester‐3P hybrid and 16907 type vinylester‐urethane hybrid resins, because of their outstanding mechanical properties.